Why You Need a Flu Shot Every Year

It’s that time of year when the days grow shorter, the temperatures drop, and the flu begins to make its most unwelcome annual rounds, sending millions of people to their beds and couches in misery. If you want to spare your family from this viral infection, you should come on in for your annual flu shot.

At Macomb Medical Clinic in Sterling Heights, Michigan our mission is to keep you healthy year-round. As flu season approaches, we offer annual flu shots to help you stay one step ahead of this potentially dangerous respiratory infection.

Here’s a look at why you need to renew your flu shot every year.

No two flus are alike

The influenza virus is incredibly adaptive and resilient, and new strains are constantly evolving. Because of this, the flu is a moving target from one year to the next, which prompted the global medical community to set up a worldwide influenza network. There are 142 centers in 113 countries that track the flu each year to determine which strains are emerging and making the rounds.

These centers collect critical data and send it to one of five World Health Organization Collaborating Centers for Reference and Research on Influenza, of which our own CDC is one. Experts from these five organizations then meet twice a year to figure out which strains of the flu will likely wreak the most havoc. Once they identify the likely culprits, they send this information to manufacturers so that they can produce a vaccine against the influenza strains.

This monumental effort on the world stage means that we can reduce your risk of catching the flu each year by 40-60% with a simple vaccine.

And even if this season’s flu is similar to the previous year, the antibodies that you produced after last year’s flu shot may have declined, which means you may not have enough protection in place to fight back against another assault.

From the youngest to the oldest

The CDC recommends that anyone over the age of six months be vaccinated against the flu each year, usually before winter gets into full swing. While you should protect your family with flu shots before the end of October, you can still receive a flu shot up through February, which can help protect you against late-season outbreaks.

For people over 65, we offer a stronger vaccination that helps with weakened immune systems. The flu shot is also safe for pregnant women, and we recommend that you protect you and your unborn child with a flu shot.

To protect yourself against the flu, schedule a consultation with the team at Macomb Medical Clinic by calling the office today.